emdog

When I start my car up there is a high pitched saw noise coming from around the area that the coolant tank is located. It seems like its coming from the cylinder right in front of the coolant tank, then it eventually goes away after the car is warm. Is this normal?

ArneeA

Check your idler pulley, alternator pulley, etc. Check your serpentine belt.

emdog

The belt seems to be fine, it really seems like the noise is coming from whatever is in front of the coolant reservoir, i have a 2001, the first picture here doesn't have thing that I am referring to, but it is that empty space. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index...on-a-my99-996/

it goes away after the initial warm up when the RPMs go down.

ivangene

remove the belt and start it up - that will tell you if it is tied to the belt in any way, really quickly

Macster

A noise upon startup that goes away in a minute or so might be the secondary air injection pump. Generally these are rather quiet -- sounds like someone running a Hoover vac next door, but if the pump going bad or one of the air injection lines cracked the thing can make a racket.

Have the engine cover open, engine dead cold, with you standing outside of the car at the rear.

Locate the air pump as best you can. Follow the air lines from the pump to the engine and note their position.

Have someone start the engine and just let the engine idle. Try to pinpoint the noise. See if it is coming from the air pump or from around one of the air lines to the engine.

Keep your hands, clothes, hair away from the moving parts of the serpentine drive belt.

If you hear the noise have the helper shut the engine off. Restart. My experience is the secondary air pump will not come back on with this restart (your car might be different though) and if the engine quiet air pump is the likely culprit.

If the secondary air pump comes back on but is quiet then the noise something else.

If the secondary air pump comes back on and is noisy, probably the air pump.

Added: Also, as I'm sure someone noted you can remove the serpentine belt and start the engine and let it idle a minute or so, if engine dead cold. If the noise not present you can then begin searching for a cause from one of the accessory drives. Check all pulleys for any radial or axial play. There should be none. Check the belt for a sharp edge. If there's a sharp edge the belt's rubbing and its rubbing cause a drive has play and the pulley is out of position.

Sincerely,

Macster.

emdog

here is a link to a video i took of the sound, if you wait until the end, the high pitched saw sound goes away....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KaEMCm4FMQ

ivangene

That's a loud noise!

As stated above - remove belt and run motor, if still there check the pump as decribed above

Pac996

Well that video cancels my asking what type of saw. That's a high speed saw sound not a hand saw, jig saw, or saws all. Play with it since it wants attention. Try moving the mentioned air lines. I'd bet on the same secondary pump already mentioned but another side bet on oil filler cap since it might be suckings air past a seal making noise like that till it seals. What ever it is everybody knows you have it thats for sure. Man what a racket hehehe.

emdog

Damn. Hopefully my car doesn't blow up

Barn996

It sounds like a table saw.

emdog

the question wasn't what type of saw noise was coming out of my engine, it was what was making that noise!!...it does sound like a table saw though...I used to think it was the construction guys working down the street, until I opened the hood.

dresler

do what Macster said.

and we're very happy you are not seeing noise.

Shark Attack

Yes I agree, that sounds like a table saw

emdog

i saws dead people

Macster

Who heck drives around with a table saw in the back seat of their Porsche?

I stand by my secondary air injection pump theory but I never thought one would make that sound, if it proves to be the air pump.

One thing you can do, if you want to go to the trouble: If you can find and get to the wiring harness connector of the pump and disconnect it or find the fuse for the pump circuit and pull it and see if the noise still present.

I do not know of there is a fuse for this circuit. I seem to recall there is one but you'll need a fuse box diagram for your car to be sure.

Disconnecting the pump or removing the fuse may cause a check engine light event when you start the engine so be prepared for that.

Sincerely,

Macster.